


Conspicuous

by ArchangelUnmei



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Draucor Week, Getting Together, Idiots in Love, M/M, Monica definitely has money on them getting caught in the showers, No Glauca no traitors, Training, so does Regis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-15
Updated: 2019-05-15
Packaged: 2020-03-05 17:26:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18833308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArchangelUnmei/pseuds/ArchangelUnmei
Summary: Titus is oblivious.Eveyone is amused.Except for Cor. Cor's frustrated.





	Conspicuous

**Author's Note:**

> No Glauca/No traitor AU because I can't do the sads right now. ;w; I just want these idiot boys to be happy. Also, they're both practically babies in this, somewhere in their late 20's or early 30's.
> 
> Written for DrauCor Week 2019 Day 2 - "You're a grown man Captain, you figure it out."

The first time Titus Drautos met the Marshal, he'd just finished taking his oaths of allegiance to King Regis, sworn in as the Captain of the newly formed Kingsglaive. Still half-dazzled by the Crystal's brilliance, he hadn't seen Cor until he'd pushed himself away from where he was leaning against the wall in the hallway outside the Crystal's chamber and stepped toward them.

"Ah, there you are!" Regis says, holding a hand out and resting it on Cor's shoulder once he was close enough. "Perfect timing. I'd like you to meet the new leader of the Kingsglaive, Captain Titus Drautos. Titus, this is Marshal Cor Leonis of the Crownsguard. I'm sure you'll end up working closely together." 

Titus tilts his head as he studies the other man. He'd thought _he_ was young for command, with an outstanding service record in his home militia that had caught Clarus Amicitia's eye while he was looking for someone to lead the Kingsglaive. But if anything, Cor looks like he might be _younger_ , if only by a couple years. He runs his eyes down Cor's body, taking note of hint of muscle hiding under the cut of his jacket, the balanced way he stands, like there's a sword at his hip to be drawn even when there isn't. The Crownsguard's traditional black uniform suits him well, and Titus doesn't even feel bad for looking because the Marshal is quite obviously eyeballing him in return. 

Titus has never been great at picking up on emotions, and Cor's expression is stony and hard to read, his light eyes sharp where they seem to cut through Titus' new uniform and leave him exposed. But he nods cordially enough, and offers his hand. 

"Captain." 

Titus doesn't smile, but neither does Cor, and as they clasp hands he returns the nod, and he thinks there's some kind of mutual understanding that passes between them. 

"Marshal." 

\------------- 

Titus goes home, and types in a search for 'Cor Leonis Crownsguard Marshal' on Mooglenet. He stares at the long list of articles and headlines, and then begins to read. 

\------------- 

The second time Titus Drautos sees the Marshal, he realizes he might be in trouble. 

It's early in the morning, but Titus has always preferred to rise early and get a jump on his day. He's still settling into the role of Captain, still settling into the Citadel where it seems like literally everyone else has long family histories of serving the Crown for generations. He's very conscious of his status as the new guy, the outsider, that everyone is judging him despite the Crystal finding him worthy. 

It doesn't actually bother him all that much. He'd expected it when Clarus had first appeared in his little town and asked if he wanted to grab a beer and chat. He knows he's good enough to be here, he just has to keep working hard enough that everyone else sees it too. 

So he's already in the Citadel as the sun peeks between the buildings, planning to get in a workout to get his blood moving for the day. As he moves toward the weight room, however, he's surprised to see the door to one of the observation balconies that overlooks the main training arena that the Crownsguard and Kingsglaive share is ajar. He pauses, eyebrows raising, and then slips in to see what's going on. 

Several Crownsguard, not just recruits but a couple higher ranking officers that Titus vaguely recognizes, are gathered behind one of the pillars that supports the balcony, peering around it at whatever is going on below. Titus crosses his arms, about to call them out when one of the younger officers glances back at him and puts a finger over her lips, motioning for him to come forward and get under cover. 

Curious despite himself, Titus steps forward to obey. His own Kingsglaive recruits treat him with the appropriate amount of respect and fear, but the Crownsguard seem to treat him as a curiosity more than anything, since they don't technically have to answer to him. It's annoying, but sometimes oddly refreshing. 

He moves up behind them and peers around the pillar to look down into the training arena, and his heart nearly stops. He must have made some involuntary sound, because the officer glances up at him, her cheeks slightly flushed even as she grins. "He goes for a run every morning," she whispers. "And then comes straight here to train. Welcome to the Leonis Fanclub?" 

Below them, Cor is shirtless and glistening with sweat as he swings a practice sword around. There aren't any training dummies set up, he's just drilling through his complex attack and defense motions, like a strange, graceful dance. Even at the distance, Titus can see the intensely concentrated look on his face, and he swallows hard. 

One of the recruits crouched down beside Titus sighs, leaning his forehead against the pillar to try and cool the heat in his face. "I'm too gay for this." 

\---------- 

"Captain Drautos!" 

Titus slows from the last of the cooldown lap he'd been taking around the track after training, and turns to face Cor with a raised eyebrow. The Marshal looked uncharacteristically flushed, though he and his top Crownsguard had just finished running joint drills with the Kingsglaive, so it wasn't a surprise. "Yes?" 

"Uh..." Cor sucks in a breath, both men unaware that they're suddenly the center of attention for every man and woman in the room, and quite a few surreptitious bets. "Would you like to... I mean, if you have time..." He pauses, refusing to meet Titus' eyes, and then seems to change his mind on whatever he'd been trying to say. "Spar with me!" 

Titus' eyebrows shoot upward, but he nods readily. "Gladly. Now?" 

Cor nods, going to the weapons racks at the side of the room to grab his own preferred bokken and toss Titus a wooden weighted broadsword. Titus is slightly surprised, unaware that Cor knew his preferred weapon, but doesn't think to comment. All around the edges of the room, Crownsguard and Kingsglaive both are taking up positions to watch, and a few are scrambling to pull out cell phones to either text friends who aren't present or try to record the incident for posterity (and the King). 

The Captain and the Marshal sparring is truly a sight to behold. Cor is faster, a little more agile, his katana styles built around decisive strikes and being where his opponent doesn't expect him to be. But Titus is physically stronger and his blade is more easily able to catch and parry Cor's lighter sword, knocking it aside and leaving holes in Cor's defense that force him to back off and regroup. 

Both of them are used to winning fights within a few quick blows, so a sustained fight like this is unusual for the both of them. They're both sweaty and breathing deeply, not quite out of breath but on their way. Eventually, Titus' heavier blows and Cor's constant movement start to weigh on the Marshal, and Titus manages to land a blow that even he'll admit was extremely lucky, scoring Cor's wrist hard enough that he drops his weapon. 

Someone on the Crownsguard side of the arena yells "Grapple him, Marshal!" and Cor sucks in a sharp breath, but then he grins. Rather than surrendering he spins to press his back against Titus' chest, getting in close and wrapping his arms around Titus' sword arm to immobilize it. 

Taking the hint, Titus also drops his sword to even the advantage again, and tries to bring his other arm up around Cor's midsection to pin him against Titus' chest. Cor slips out of his grip, and for a moment Titus gets treated to a close up view of those steely blue eyes, narrowed in determination but also sparkling and bright in clear enjoyment. 

Titus hopes his flush can be mistaken for exertion, and it throws him off just enough that Cor slams a shoulder into his chest, knocking him flat on his ass. 

("I hope they bang soon," Monica comments under her breath to a Kingsglaive, well out of hearing of both men as she fans herself off with a towel. "Before the sexual tension kills us all.") 

\------- 

Clarus looks up at the knock on his office door. "Enter," he calls out, and he's not surprised when Titus steps in. He's made himself readily available to the young Captain as he feels out his position in the Citadel, and he'd like to say they've become friends. They're similar men in many ways, and there's an undeniable mutual respect between them. 

He _is_ surprised, however, that Titus looks out of sorts. Usually the man is fairly stoic, but there's a pull at the corner of his mouth, and he keeps fidgeting with his hands in a way that speaks of some inner turmoil. Clarus gestures for him to sit, if he wants, and Titus drops into the chair with uncharacteristic gracelessness. Clarus nods over toward the door that connects his office to Regis' study, which is standing open halfway in their usual custom while they're both working. Titus just shakes his head, uncaring if the King overhears. 

"Something on your mind?" Clarus asks mildly, and Titus huffs and runs a hand through his hair. 

"I don't think Cor... Marshal Leonis likes me much," he says, almost mournfully, and Clarus works hard to keep his eyebrows from shooting upward. 

"What makes you say that?" he asks carefully, and Titus sighs again. 

"We sparred the other day, and I ended up pinning him, and afterward he got up and stormed off. A lot of his men were watching, I'm afraid I offended him. You've known him a very long time... I was hoping you might have some advice." 

It's getting harder for Clarus to keep a straight face. He can just imagine. "Titus, the number of times I've pinned Cor down in front of his men and yanked his arms back until he tapped out are uncountable. He's a prodigy with a sword but his grappling is acceptable at best, he relies on being too fast to pin. He's Marshal because he's a good man and leads by example, not because he's unbeatable. If anything, I suspect he might have thrown the match to help cement _your_ reputation, since you're still relatively unknown." 

Titus' brows slowly furrow together, like Clarus has just swept aside the puzzle he's been trying to construct and handed him an entirely different one. "Why would he do that? And why did he storm off if he wasn't angry with me?" 

Because boner, is what Clarus doesn't say. Instead he just raises an eyebrow. "You're a grown man, Captain, you figure it out." 

Titus frowns harder, the seconds ticking by. After a full minute, Clarus watches the light bulb go off, and Titus stands up so fast his chair almost clatters over backward. 

He leaves without even saying goodbye, and the moment the door is closed behind him Clarus hears Regis in his office next door burst into helpless laughter. 

\------- 

"Thank the Six," Monica sighs a few mornings later, watching Cor try and shout orders without his voice cracking, and Titus' insufferably smug smirk. 

"We're going to regret this the first time someone walks in on them fucking in the showers," Dustin muses beside her, and Monica just shrugs. They'll burn that bridge when they come to it.


End file.
